


The Sister I Never Had

by bitchtownexpress



Category: Glee
Genre: Eating Disorders, Episode: s04e08 Thanksgiving, Episode: s04e09 Swan Song, F/F, Friendship, Mentor/Protégé, Self Confidence, Self-Esteem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:08:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29944251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitchtownexpress/pseuds/bitchtownexpress
Summary: TW: Eating DisordersFollows Santana and Marley's mentor-mentee relationship. Santana decides that Marley is now her long-lost sister. Chapter 2 will deal with the aftermath of Sectionals.
Relationships: Santana Lopez & Marley Rose, Santana Lopez/Marley Rose
Kudos: 9





	The Sister I Never Had

Santana Lopez took a seat by herself near the back of her Intro to Sociology lecture hall. After visiting home a few times, she realized that she might actually be homesick. For Lima. Never in a million years did she think that that was possible. 

She didn’t feel like she fit in in Kentucky. People were too polite and no one seemed to like her upfront attitude. She was also realizing that maybe she was never really good at making friends. It was Brittany that was the social butterfly. Maybe people only talked to her and hung out with her because she was friends with Brittany. She didn’t know how to strike up a conversation with people- she was used to being on the defensive. Now that she thinks of it, she’s never naturally made a friend in her life. It was all just people finally getting used to her constant insults and sarcastic one-liners. She wasn’t likable, she was  _ tolerable _ . That’s probably why she spent years skipping meals, overexercising, and vomiting up her dinner in an attempt to feel like she had control over her life. 

In elementary school, back when Santana lived in Lima Heights, kids picked on her all the time, pulled her hair, cut her hair, stuck things into her sandwiches, and ran away from her if she ever tried to play with them. When her dad finished medical school and started working as a doctor, the Lopez family moved out of Lima Heights and Santana got to change schools. That’s where she developed her bitchy and defensive personality. It was just that- a defense mechanism. She was never going to be bullied again.  _ She _ would be the bully, if she needed to be.

There were a couple of minutes left before her lecture started, and she watched as duos and groups of friends started pouring into the class, going about life with such ease.  _ How do these people know each other? _ She thought. She didn’t want to be an outsider, but she didn’t know how to do anything about it. Moving to Kentucky was a wake-up call for Santana in that she realized just how low her self-esteem actually was, and how much being outcast by her classmates and verbally abused by her Abuela actually affected her. 

Then her mind went back to what it kept trying to push out.    
Marley. 

When Santana came home for thanksgiving weekend, Finn paired her up with the newest Glee Club member, Marley Rose, so that Santana could be a mentor. At first, Marley seemed nothing like Santana- quiet, sweet, and definitely wouldn’t hurt a fly. But Santana saw something in Marley that no one else seemed to notice. Something that Santana has been through herself. The pale face and eyes that seemed to have no life behind them. Marley was stick-thin, but Santana realized after only a few minutes what was going on. She started paying close attention to her psychic Mexican third eye. Marley was her mentee now, and she didn’t want anyone messing with her. She remembered how she felt fine about her body until Quinn taught her how to purge, how to skip meals, how to document everything you eat. How to forget about how hungry you are. Quinn didn’t have ill intentions, but she definitely made an impact on Santana’s eating and self-esteem issues. She didn’t want to see the same thing happen to Marley. 

After the Unholy Trinity performed  _ Come See About Me _ , Santana asked Marley, her newly-adopted mentee, if she was okay. Marley brushed it off, of course. She’s fine. Santana knew how that felt all too well- to act like you’re okay when you feel terrible in almost every aspect of life. She pulled Marley aside after everyone started chatting in the choir room. 

“Listen. You look  _ awful, _ ” Santana told Marley, while they sat alone together in the corner of the choir room. 

Marley’s face grew into a confused pout, and Santana realized that what she just said might be interpreted the wrong way. 

“No, sorry, you’re beautiful, like seriously, if I could buy your hair, I would, and your eyes are so gentle and stunning.  _ You’re  _ stunning. I just mean I think I know what’s going on. You feel like crap, don’t you?” 

Marley shifted in her seat, not knowing how to respond. She finally mustered up the courage to say a simple “Thanks,” followed by “I love watching you perform. But I feel fine.” 

Santana rolled her eyes. “Okay, so you’re guarded. I get it. You’re talking to the queen of defensiveness. Grab your stuff. I’m taking you out to lunch.” 

Before Marley could protest, Santana grabbed her hand and started dragging her out of the choir room. 

“We’ll be back later,” she announced. 

Marley followed Santana out into the parking lot and opened the passenger door to Santana’s bright red Mazda. She was about to get in when she realized that the seat and the floor were covered with clothes, food wrappers, and books.

“One sec,” Santana said as she threw some of it into the back seat. “That good? Get in.” 

Marley climbed into the car and her fear of small-talk was at least temporarily alleviated because Santana didn’t say a word to her for the entire ten-minute drive. She was blasting Kacey Musgraves’  _ Follow Your Arrow  _ and singing at the top of her lungs. Marley hadn’t heard the song yet, so she just listened and enjoyed Santana’s strong, raspy voice. Marley was in awe of Santana’s confidence. She seemed so self-assured and didn’t seem to care about anyone else’s opinion. Maybe some of that will rub off on her. 

Santana and Marley walked into Breadstix and took a seat in Santana’s favorite booth. 

“We’re getting all-you-can-eat pasta,” Santana announced. 

Marley shook her head. “No, that’s okay, I think I’ll just have a salad.” 

Santana grabbed the menu from in front of Marley, closed it, and set it on top of her own, placing them at the end of the table to show the wait staff that they were ready to order. 

“This is an occasion. I always wanted a little sister. Now I have one. And you have a kick-ass, gorgeous, smart, and talented big sister. And  _ she _ says that you’re getting all-you-can-eat pasta and breadsticks.” Santana grabbed a breadstick and started eating. 

Marley smiled a real, genuine smile, for the first time in a long time. “I always wanted a big sister,” she told Santana. 

Santana tried to hand Marley a breadstick, but Marley put up her hand in protest. “I’ll save it for the pasta,” she said quietly. 

Santana took a swig of her water and pointedly set it down on the table. 

“Listen. I know what you’re going through. I went through this. You are stick-thin. Seriously, you have the body of a supermodel. I’d  _ kill  _ to look like you. But you know what’s even hotter than being skinny?” 

Marley raised an eyebrow. “Being kind?” 

Santana laughed. “You must not have heard about me. No. Don’t be kind. You already are. What’s hotter than being skinny is being confident, having energy, not taking other people’s shit. You’re like a doormat. And I know someone is making you feel like you need to starve yourself to the point where you look like you’re barely holding onto life. And I’m gonna need you to tell me who that person is.” 

Marley’s eyes filled up with tears and she started shaking her head. “I- no. Nobody is. It’s just me.” 

“Give me something. Anything. You can trust me.” 

“Well, my mom’s pretty big. You might have seen her. She’s the cafeteria lady. The big one.” 

Santana’s eyes widened. “That’s your  _ mom _ ? No way. You were adopted.” 

“No, I wasn’t, and if you’re going to start making fun of my mom I’m going to get up and walk home.” 

Santana crossed her arms and sat back, smirking. 

“What?” Marley asked. “What was that reaction for?” 

“You just stood up to Santana Lopez to protect your mom.” 

“So?” 

“ _ So, _ ” Santana grabbed her water and took a sip. “You have fierceness in you. You can stand up for the people you love. Trust me, if you can argue with me, you can argue with anyone. And nobody at that school is meaner than me. You need to take that energy and throw it back to whoever is making you feel like crap about yourself. Care about yourself like you care about your mom.” 

Marley shook her head. “I can’t do that.” 

“Give me your phone,” Santana demanded. 

“Why?” 

“I’m putting my number in. Hand it over.” 

Marley pulled her phone out of her pocket and gave it to Santana, who added her number and saved her contact as  _ Santana Lopez: Best Mentor Ever. _


End file.
